Volvo Ocean Race mascot spreads a message

Laura Damon Daily News staff writer

Wednesday

May 9, 2018 at 10:38 PMMay 9, 2018 at 10:46 PM

NEWPORT — The albatross is a large and powerful seabird steeped in nautical lore. That, coupled with its unfortunate tendency to consume plastics in the ocean, made it the perfect mascot for the Volvo Ocean Race.

“Using an iconic species like the albatross that is threatened raises a lot of awareness” about the current state of plastic ocean pollution, said Lucy Hunt, sustainability education program manager for the race.

Wisdom the albatross is the official mascot for the race. Whoever dons the feathery costume, which changes hands among volunteers at every stopover village, represents a real female Laysan albatross from Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Wisdom was tagged in the 1950s and is believed to have mothered 35 chicks. She's at least 60 years old — above the average lifespan of the species — and she's remarkable also because she seems to understand not to eat plastic, Hunt said.

Albatrosses can weigh up to 22 pounds and they have the largest wingspan of any bird, reaching up to 11 feet. With their long wings, albatrosses ride ocean winds and can glide for hours without a single flap. They are known to follow ships at sea, waiting for scraps to pluck, but some say albatrosses trail sailors because they embody the souls of people lost at sea; they are signs of good luck.

But albatrosses don't have the greatest luck themselves. Since they feed on surface-dwelling creatures in the sea, plastic materials frequently make their way into their stomachs. Wisdom, presumably wise beyond her many years, avoids the plastics, but she's an exception.

On a brilliantly sunny Wednesday afternoon in the Race Village media tent, Hunt whipped out her laptop computer and pointed to a photo of the contents of an albatross stomach. It was filled with lighters and plastic bottle caps. The image is part of an online, interactive learning program for children that Hunt designed as part of the Volvo Ocean Race Sustainability Education Programme. The online educational resources are a new component of the race this year.

Anyone can access and download the educational materials, free of charge, Hunt said. The materials can be accessed at volvooceanrace.com/en/sustainability/education.html. They'll be available throughout the duration of the race — which will span until late June — and probably for some time after, Hunt said.

Designed for children ages 6 to 12, but also suitable for adults who want a crash course in marine-related history, geography or scientific curricula, the learning program includes colorful infographics and worksheets that Hunt created.

The resources are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Dutch and Chinese. So far, individuals in 37 countries, from Ghana to Great Britain, and more than 65,000 students have accessed the materials, Hunt said.

Sporting events like the Volvo Ocean Race serve as excellent platforms to raise awareness about issues like plastics in the ocean and educate people, Hunt said — especially young people.

“The animals really draw in the kids,” Hunt said. Wisdom the Mascot serves as a fun, feathery and vibrant character for children and she encourages them to learn more about how plastics in the ocean affect animals like albatrosses.

Wisdom can be spotted on any day at the Race Village, but she's a significant symbol for the One Ocean Exploration Zone, open May 12-20.

One of the goals of the One Ocean Exploration Zone — which features more than 20 exhibitors, including Clean Ocean Access and the University of Rhode Island — is to broaden awareness of stressors affecting the marine environment. An estimated 3,750 students are expected to check out the Exploration Zone, Hunt said.

Nicole Herget, 20, an upcoming junior at the University of Rhode Island, donned the Wisdom costume on Wednesday and made the rounds at the stopover village. “I think Wisdom brings a lot of energy,” Herget said as she flapped her wings and took pictures with a few gleeful patrons.

ldamon@newportri.com

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